AWE Legislative Watch

The Alliance for Water Efficiency is pleased to monitor US federal legislation and inform members of bills relating to water conservation and efficiency. Additionally, as it comes to our attention, we will include pertinent US state-level legislation, and Canadian federal and provincial-level legislation. Check back often for updates.

Summary: This bill would authorize $50 million a year for four years to provide grants, loans and loan guarantees for community parks and recreational facilities, including projects that provide for storm water management and water conservation. (Full Text)

History: This bill was assigned to the House Committee on financial Services and the Committee on Natural Resources on January 7.

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H.R. 291 - Water in the 21st Century Act (Companion Bill to S 176)

Status: Introduced on January 13, 2015 and referred to committees.

Purpose: To establish a federal WaterSense program, to provide funding for water recycling, storage and integrated management and for other purposes.

Summary: This bill would provide official authorization for the WaterSense program at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and authorize funding of $50 million for the program and $700 million for rebates over the next four years. The legislation would also authorize $800 million in federal grants to mitigate water systems against the effects of drought and provide federal loans and loan guarantees for recycling, storage and integrated management projects (Full Text)

History: This bill was assigned to several House committees on January 13, 2015, including the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Natural Resources. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate on the same date by Sen. Barbara Boxer [D-CA].

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H.R. 568 - Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act

Status: Introduced Jan. 27, 2015 and referred to committee.

Purpose: To determine the impact of thermal insulation on energy and water use.

Summary: This will would require the Secretary of Energy to prepare a report on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use for potable hot and chilled water in federal buildings, including the return on investment for installing such insulation. (Full Text)

History: Introduced Jan. 27, 2015 and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summary: Among other provisions, this bill would direct the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop model leasing codes that encourage cost-effective energy and ¬water efficiency measures in commercial buildings. Such model codes should “align the interests of building owners and tenants with regard to investments in cost-effective energy efficiency measures and cost-effective water efficiency measures to encourage building owners and tenants to collaborate to invest in such measures.” The GSA administrator is further instructed to utilize the model codes in all leasing of space by the federal government and to provide assistance to local governments seeking to implement such codes. (Full Text)

History: This bill is identical to S 535, sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Rob Portman, R-OH, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH. It was introduced in the House on Feb. 11, 2015 and immediately referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summary: This legislation would authorize $250 million over five years for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program of awarding grants to owners or operators of water systems to increase their resiliency or adaptability. Such projects might include projects to enhance water use efficiency, including through the use of water metering and electronic sensing and control systems; to improve water management by increasing watershed preservation and protection; and to increase efficiency in the use of energy or water of the water. (Full Text)

History: This bill was introduced on March 4 and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Natural Resources and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Envrionment of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Rep. Capps sponsored a similar measure in the last Congress, but no action was taken.

Summary: Among other provisions, this amendment would direct the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop model leasing codes that encourage cost-effective energy and ¬water efficiency measures in commercial buildings. Such model codes should “align the interests of building owners and tenants with regard to investments in cost-effective energy efficiency measures and cost-effective water efficiency measures to encourage building owners and tenants to collaborate to invest in such measures.” The GSA administrator is further instructed to utilize the model codes in all leasing of space by the federal government and to provide assistance to local governments seeking to implement such codes. (Full text of the bill as approved by Congress and sent to President Obama.)

History: Similar to legislation that was approved in committee last year, this bill was re-introduced on Jan. 12, 2015 and passed by the Senate on January 20, 2015 on a 94-5 roll-call vote as an amendment to the legislation directing approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project. The House approved the Senate-passed bill by 270-152 on February 10, 2015. The bill now goes to President Obama, who has promised to veto this legislation if it reaches his desk. Supporters of the pipeline are not likely to overturn such a veto.

Summary: This bill would provide official authorization for the WaterSense program at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and authorize funding of $50 million for the program and $700 million for rebates over the next four years. The legislation would also authorize $800 million in federal grants to mitigate water systems against the effects of drought and provide federal loans and loan guarantees for recycling, storage and integrated management projects (Full text is not yet available.)

History: This bill was assigned on January 13, 2015 to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. A companion bill was introduced in the House on the same date by Rep. Grace Napolitano [D-CA].

Summary: This bill would authorize $1 trillion in federal funding over five years for infrastructure improvements, including water infrastructure projects. Bill does not specify where money would come from, but increasing the gasoline tax has been mentioned as a possibility, at least for transportation projects. (Full Text)

Summary: This bill would direct the White House Office of Management and Budget to set up mechanisms to speed up and coordinate federal review of large projects costing $25 million or more that require federal review or approval, including those involving water resource projects. (Full Text)

History: Introduced 1/18 and referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. A similar measure (S 1397) was introduced in the last Congress, but no action was taken.)

Summary: Among other provisions, this bill would direct the administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to develop model leasing codes that encourage cost-effective energy and ¬water efficiency measures in commercial buildings. Such model codes should “align the interests of building owners and tenants with regard to investments in cost-effective energy efficiency measures and cost-effective water efficiency measures to encourage building owners and tenants to collaborate to invest in such measures.” The GSA administrator is further instructed to utilize the model codes in all leasing of space by the federal government and to provide assistance to local governments seeking to implement such codes. (Full textof the bill as reported by the Senate committee.)

History: Similar to legislation that was approved in committee last year, this bill was re-introduced on Jan. 12, 2015 as S 128 and passed by the Senate on January 20, 2015 on a 94-5 roll-call vote as an amendment to the legislation directing approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project. The House approved the Senate-passed bill by 270-152 on February 10, 2015 and it was sent to President Obama, who vetoed the pipeline bill on Feb. 24, 2015. That same day, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act was considered as separate legislation (S 535), approved by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and sent to the full Senate. The bill was passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 27, 2015, and sent to the House.

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S 653 - Water Resources Research Amendments Act of 2015

Status: Introduced and referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Purpose: To encourage federally funded water resources research into alternative approaches to water and energy efficiency.

Summary: This legislation would amend the Water Resources Research Amendments Act of 1984 to declare that additional research is required into increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of new and existing treatment works through alternative approaches, including energy use efficiency, water use efficiency and actions to extract energy from wastewater. (Full Text)

History: The current bill was introduced on March 4 and referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The committee approved a similar measure in the last Congress, but no action was taken by the Senate.

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S 723 - Utility Energy Service Contracts Improvement Act of 2015

Status: introduced and referred to the Senate energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Purpose: To extend and amend that National Energy Conservation Policy act to provide guidance on utility energy service contracts used by Federal agencies.

Summary: This legislation would permit Utility Energy Service Contracts (UESC) of up to 25 years compared to the 10-year limit now imposed. UESCs are used to assist federal installations to implement energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency projects. Some agencies have interpreted current law to limit UESC’s to 10 years. (Full Text)

History: This bill was introduced March 12 and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Sen. Schatz sponsored a similar bill in an earlier Congress, but no action was taken.

Parliament of Canada

41st Parliament, 2nd Session

C-653- An Act to Amend the Canada Water Act (Recycling, Conservation and Efficiency)

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C-653 - An Act to Amend the Canada Water Act (Recycling, Conservation and Efficiency)

Status: House of Commons, Introduction and First Reading, 2015-02-18

Purpose/Summary: This enactment amends the Canada Water Act to: (a) authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting water devices and standards for water recycling, water conservation and water efficiency; (b) confer powers on the Minister of the Environment in respect of the development and undertaking of programs relating to the development and promotion of water devices and water-recycling, water conservation and water efficiency practices; (c) establish requirements in respect of the importation and interprovincial sale or shipping of water devices; (d) create offences in respect of the failure to provide required information and the failure to comply with requirements in respect of the importation and the interprovincial sale or shipping of water devices; and (e) require the Minister to demonstrate in a report to Parliament (i) the extent to which the water efficiency standards prescribed under this Act compare to standards established by other jurisdictions, and (ii) the extent to which water efficiency standards have been prescribed under this Act for water devices whose use has a significant impact on water consumption in Canada. [Latest Information and Text]